Death came with the final breath of air, smelling of burnt caramel and a cold, sharp dread. He, known in his previous life as Bram, an ordinary office worker caught in a gas leak at a coffee shop, presumed this was the end. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, only a deep, hollow darkness.
However, that darkness did not last.
The first sensation to return was a coolness—a damp, soft chill, like morning dew. Then, a dream-like atmosphere appeared, and a transparent, shimmering panel materialized before Bram. This panel was a speaking status board because it was the Goddess Siska, who was about to reincarnate Bram into another world—a world, no less, full of great wizards.
"Where am I?" Bram asked in confusion.
"You are in the subconscious realm, don't worry about it too much," Goddess Siska replied.
"Now, I shall give you a choice for your new body, which will embark on a new life in another world (Isekai) as a wizard. Choose your best option," Goddess Siska continued with a sweet smile.
Options
1. Fire Wizard
2. Water Wizard
3. Wind Wizard
4. Summoner Wizard
"Such a difficult choice," Bram mumbled.
Bram was perplexed, muttering to himself, "Becoming a Fire Wizard? Sounds too menacing. A Water Wizard? Ah... I'm not a big fan of water. Wind? Hmm, I might catch a cold from my own magic. What is this Summoner Wizard thing? It looks kind of cool, ahhh..."
Before he could finish, Goddess Siska interrupted Bram.
"A great choice. You are interested in becoming a Summoner Wizard. Prepare yourself, Bram; the other world is calling you," said Goddess Siska.
The scene was exquisitely beautiful, with countless stars scattering over Bram's body.
Bram had been reincarnated into another world. He heard the gentle whisper of the wind through the leaves and the distant gurgle of water. When his eyes opened, Bram saw the sky. Not the gray, pollution-choked sky of the city, but a bright blue canopy adorned with clean white clouds and the silhouette of towering trees, their beautiful, fresh leaves glistening under the warm sun.
"W-what...?" he murmured, his voice sounding like a baby's cry.
And indeed, it was a baby's cry. His tiny hands, his small feet, and his body wrapped in soft cloth all indicated one thing: He had been reincarnated.
"He's awake, My Lady!" A cheerful young woman's voice spoke, and then her face drew near. Warm, emerald green eyes, a genuine smile, and loosely tied silvery-blonde hair.
"Welcome to the world, Fin."
Fin. That was his new name. In this new world, he was born the son of a farmer in a small village near a city known as Freshleaf. This world, as he later learned, was a land filled with spiritual energy known as Chakra, where warriors called Ninja mastered the arts of combat, illusion, and—what caught Fin's attention most—the art of summoning creatures from other dimensions.
Fin's early years were a strange struggle. His adult mind wrestled to process the world through a baby's eyes and limitations. He had to relearn crawling, walking, and speaking, all while simultaneously absorbing information about Chakra, Ninja Clans, hidden villages, and the dangers lurking in the forests beyond the village.
A Summoner Ninja, huh?" Fin would murmur to himself as he watched older children practice throwing shuriken or performing basic hand signs. His heart, once resigned to a dull life of routine, now burned with a new purpose. "If I have to live again, I will truly live."
He didn't want to be an ordinary ninja. He didn't want merely to survive. In his previous life, he never had a chance to be extraordinary. Now, he had that chance.
"I will become the strongest Summoner Ninja," he vowed, hiding behind the bushes, observing the Genin (rookie ninja) practicing at the village's edge. "I will be the best in Freshleaf, even in this whole new world!"
That resolve became the fuel that ignited his new soul. He knew it wouldn't be easy. Power did not come simply with reincarnation. He had to train his body, his mind, and most importantly, his soul. The journey to reach the peak as the strongest Summoner Ninja in this other world had just begun.